Double-acting ratchet wrench



Dec. 13, 1927.

K. LANGKAMMERER DOUBLE mm RA'I'CHET WRENCH Filed June 5. 1926 Patented Dec. 13, 1927;

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mt LANG-WEBER, or men, ennimmnnssrenoa' 'ro norm. & 00.,- or

mnncn, GERMANY.

mourncme sarcasm wnnncn- Application med June 5, 1928, Serial 1V0. 113,985, and in Germany July 28, 1925.

. This invention relates to improvements in double acting ratchet wrenches in which separate levers are arranged for oscillatory movement round a ratchet wheel so as to impart to the wheel a uniform and continuous rotation through the medium of pawls on the levers. This kind of wrench is used for tightening and loosening nuts :on screwbolts, and especially "for tightening up the nuts on railway fishplates. v

The objects of my improvements are firstly to provide a double acting ratchet wrench in which the actuating levers may temporarily be coupled together to formdn effect one lever; and secondly to prevent undesirable side play or side thrusts at the. gripping ends ofthe levers. 'j

I attam these objects in a manner that w1ll be understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawing, whereon: 7

Fig. 1 is a side view'of one constructional form of spanner embodying the features of my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a front view of the wrench, partly in section. I i

Referring to the drawing, thewrench comprises two adjacent levels a: a turnable around a rat-chet'wheel' b, which is provided with a polygonal opening to accommodate the nut to be tightened. Outward lateral movement of1the levers a; a islprevented by means of two adjusting nuts cz-c. Pawls d d engage, in the usual way, with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 6 andare pressed inwardly by springs e:e,' which tend to prevent the pawls disengaging the ratchet wheel. j j

concentrically arranged with respect to 40 the axis of rotation of the levers are co-acting guide'segmentsg and g which are fitted to the levers inor er to prevent side play of the latter. At the handle end of one of the levers a clip 11 is turnable around a pin 5 h provided on said lever, a slot is being provi ed in the other leverito receive the clip.

The operation of the device is as fol lows The opening in the ratchet wheel I; is ar solranged over the nut, which has already been 1 part1 screwed on to its bolt. The clip 1' is then rought into the position shown in dottedlines in Fig. 2, that is, disengaged from the slot k, whereafter the operator grasps the levers aza, onewith each hand, and swings them backward and forward.

The pa'ivls d :d thus impart a uniform and practically continuous rotary motion to the means of the segmental guide ftg fitted at a convenient distance" from the point of ro-,

tation and which, as plainly shown in'Fig. 2',

comprises a male segment fon one lever 11 and a female segment g on the other lever.

The portions fand g engaged-slidably with 'each other. i

After the nut has been screwed as far as possible by. using the two levers a and a independently for this purpose, more force will be required to tighten it up fully. This is because of the :fact that for the purpose of reducing the weight of thewrench to a minimum each half of the 'wrench, that is each lever, is made only s'uificiently powerful to take halfof the total force needed.- Consequently, in order to fully tighten the nut,

the clip 11, which can, be swung around the vpin h, iscaused'to drop or catch into the slot 'k when the two levers aza are exactl opposite each other. VBy this means bot .levers .are locked together as one, so that thertotal; force required to fully tighten u the-nut to its 'final position can be applie in spite ofthe fact that each of the levers jlflas been designed'to take 'only half of this orce. Q 7 r The reverse process takes place when loosening a nut. After the nut, which is often 'rustedinor very firmly set, hasbeen loosened by using the two levers locked together asone, the clip '5' is movedfrom engagement with the slot 70, whereupon the levers a a are actuated independently in the manner previously stated. I

' While I have described a certain or particular embodimentof my invention, I de-' sire it to be understood that modifications may be made and I therefore intend no limitations other than those imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. The combinationin a double acting ratchet wrench of a ratchet wheel, levers 'mounted for independent oscillatory movement around the ratchet wheel, means on the" g neuaeer levers engaging the ratchet wheel to impart continuous rotation thereto upon the levers being oscillated and segmental guiding means fitted to the levers at a distance from the oint of rotation for limiting side thrusts at t eir ip ing ends.

2. A oub e acting ratchet wrench com rising, in combination, a ratchet wheel, evers mounted closely adjacent for independent oscillatory movement around the ratchet wheel, means on the levers engaging the ratchet wheel to impart continuous rotation thereto upon the levers being oscillated, means for limiting side thrusts at the gripping ends of the levers, and means whereby the levers can be coupled together at will to form in efl'ect one single lever of substantially increased strength.

3. A double acting ratchet wrench comprising, in combination, a ratchet wheel with a polygonal opening, two levers mounted closely adjacent for independent oscillatory movements around the ratchet wheel, pawls on the levers engaging the ratchet wheel to impart continuous rotation thereto upon the levers being oscillated, and a pivoted clip on the handle end of one of said levers for engaging a slot in the other lever whereby the levers can be locked together at will to form in efiect one single lever of substan tially increased strength.

4. A double acting ratchet wrench comprising, in combination, a ratchet wheel with a polygonal opening, two levers mounted for independent oscillatory movement around the ratchet wheel, pawls on the levers engaging the ratchet wheel to impart-continuous rotation thereto upon the levers being oscillated and two inter-engaging guide segments on th side thrusts at their gripping ends.

e levers at a distance irom the turning point for preventing undesirable 5. A double actin ratchet wrench comprising a ratchet w eel with a polygonal opening, two levers mounted closely adjacent for independent oscillatory movement around the ratchet wheel, pawls on the levers engaging the ratchet wheel to im art continuous rotation thereto upon the evers being oscillated, two interengaging guide segments on the levers for preventing undesirable side thrusts at their gripping ends, there being'a slot in the handle end of one lever and a pivoted clip on the handle end of the other lever for engaging said slot whereby said levers can be locked together at will to form in effect one single lever of substan-.

tially increased strength.

6. A double acting ratchet wrench comprising a ratchet wheel with a polygonal opening to receive the nut to be tightened, two levers mounted closely adjacent for independent oscillatory movement around the ratchet wheel each of said levers be'ing designed to take half the total force to be applied to the wrench, means for retaining the levers in position on said ratchet wheel, pawls pivotally. mounted on the levers, springs constraining the pawls into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel so that said wheel will be rotated by the oscillatory movements of the levers, a male segment on one of the levers, a co-acting fe male segment on the other lever for the purpose of preventing undesirable side thrusts, there being a slot in the handle end of one of the levers and a clip pivoted to the outer end of the other lever for engagement with said notch whereby said levers can be locked together as one when the total force is to be applied.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

KARL LANGKAMIIERER. 

